Packaging mechanism



Dec. 7, 1954 Filed July 5 1950 E. E. FlES PACKAGING MECHANISM 3Sheets-Sheet l Dec 7, 1954 E. E. FlES PACKAGING MECHANISM 3 Sheets-Sheet3 Filed July 15, 1950 2 @JU. lllllllllllllllllllllllllilllllllllll no A.w 3 mm 1 NF 3 T w a 0 Z 4 a 13 w F 7 United States Patent PACKAGINGMECHANISM Emerson E. Fies, Chicago, 111., assignor to Hiland B.

Noyes and Emerson E. Fies, a partnership, doing business as Noyes andFies, Western Springs, 111.

Application July 3, 1950, Serial No. 171,981 Claims. (Cl. 226-18) Thisinvention relates to a machine for packaging sheets of paper or thelike.

More particularly, the invention relates to a machine for rolling sheetsof paper into compact tubular form, and for inserting the rolled sheetsof paper into a cylindrical cardboard container, or the like.

In the everyday activities of many business organizations, andparticularly organizations having a large volume of advertisingmaterial, it is often desirable to send sheets of paper or othermaterial, calendars, etc., to persons dealing with the organization insuch a form that the paper will not be sharply bent or damaged uponarrival. Material to be sent in this form has, in the past,been manuallyrolled and inserted in cardboard tubes or the like, and sent to theaddressee. While this method of packaging the sheets of material may besatisfactory for organizations handling only a small volume of suchmaterial, when a considerable quantity of material is packaged in thisfashion, the expense in the man :hours required is so great that abetter method of packaging is desired. Another application for a machinefor packaging sheets in tubular containers is in the packaging of papermoney for use in dispensing machines. To make such machines practical, amachine for quickly and cheaply packaging the desired sums of papermoney is required.

It is therefore one object of the invention to provide an automaticmechanism for simplifying the packaging of sheets of paper material.

Another object of the invention is to provide a. machine forautomatically inserting paper money bills into compact containers tofacilitate handling the same.

A feature of the invention is the provision of a simple mechanism forrapidly rolling sheets of paper into compact tubular form.

Another feature of the invention is the provision of a mechanism forautomatically rolling sheets of paper into a compact tubular form, andthen ejecting the rolled sheets of paper into a container.

A further feature of the invention is the provision of a paper packagingmechanism which is automatically operated when a container for receivingthe paper to be packaged is placed in a paper receiving positionrelative to the mechanism. The mechanism operates almost instantaneouslyto insert the paper in the container.

Other objects, features, and many of the attendant advantages of thisinvention will be appreciated as the same becomes understood byreference to the following detailed description when considered inconnection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the novel paper packaging mechanism,showing the manner of its operation;

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view of the packaging mechanism shown inFig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a rear, elevational view of the mechanism;

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view of the mechanism taken through plane4-4 of Fig. 2;

Figs. 5 to 8 constitute a series of cross sectional views of the rollingdevice illustrating the operation thereof;

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a component part of the ejecting meansof the packaging mechanism;

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary top view of the mechanism with a portion of themechanism housing broken away to show the construction of the ejectingmeans; and

Fig. 11 is a perspective view of a container having a rolled sheet ofpaper fitted therein by the packaging mechanism.

In practicing the invention, a paper packaging mecha nism is providedwhich includes a base member having a semi-cylindrical trough, formed onits upper surface. A semi-cylindrical shield is positioned over a partof the trough, and spaced above the surface of the base member so as toform a generally cylindrical guide having a pair of diametricallyopposed longitudinal slots substantially level with the surface of thebase member. Posi tioned within the guide, thus formed, is an elongatedforked member having leg portions extending along the longitudinal axisof the guide, with the open area between the leg portions normallyaligned with the slots in the guide, and with the surface of the basemember. The forked member is connected to rotary driving means, whichmay include a rotary electric solenoid, for rotation thereby.Cooperating with the paper rolling device is an ejecting ring positionedin the cylindrical guide, and movable longitudinally along the guide.The ejecting ring has an outside diameter substantialy equal to theinside diameter of the cylindrical guide, and an inside diametersubstantially equal to the greatest transverse dimension of the forkedmember. For moving the eejcting ring, driving means is provided whichmay include a second rotary solenoid connected to the ejecting ringthrough a crank arm.

Paper to be packaged is placed on the base member in the longitudinalslots below the shield and between the leg portions of the forkedmember.A container is then placed in the part of the trough not covered by theshield. A switch for operating the rotary driving means has an actuatingmember in this part of the trough so that the forked member is rotatedto roll the paper instantly when the container is positioned in thetrough. The driving means for the forked member cooperates with asecondswitch which energizes the second rotary solenoid to eject the paperinto the container as soon as it is rolled.

Referring now to Fig. l of the drawings, the paper packaging mechanismincludes a flat base member 11 supported on a plurality of legs 12. Basemember 11 has a semi-cylindrical trough formed in its upper surfacewhich includes a forward portion diameter than the rearward portion 14,the juncture of the two portions being undercut to form an overhanginglip 16. Secured to the back edge of the base member 11 is a mountingplate 17 to which a semi-cylindrical shield 18 is secured in the mannerbest shown in Fig. 4. As is seen in Fig. 2, semi-cylindrical shield 18is disposed slightly above the surface of base member 11, and togetherwith the rearward portion 14 of the semicylindrical trough defines agenerally cylindrical guide having a pair of diametrically opposedlongitudinal slots 19 and 21 therein which are substantially level withthe upper surface of base member 11.

Positioned within the cylindrical guide formed by shield 18 and troughportion 14 (Fig. 4) is a paper rolling device which includes anelongated forked member having a pair of leg portions 23 and 24extending along the longitudinal axis of the guide, and a base portionjournalled in a mounting base 26. The mounting base 26 may be integralwith shield 18 and secured to back plate 17 by screws 27. The forkedmember 22 has a normal position in which the open area between legportions 23 and 24 thereof is aligned with slots 19 and 21 and with theupper surface of base member 11. It is therefore seen that sheets ofpaper, shown at 28 in Fig. 1, may be easily slid along the base memberbetween the leg portions and subsequently rolled in a manner hereinafterto be described.

For providing rotation of the forked member 22, the shaft extension 29is keyed to a spur gear 31 that meshes with, and is driven by a gearmember 32. As is best seen in Fig. 3, gear member 32 comprises a quartersection of a relatively large gear wheel, and is driven by the driveshaft of a first rotary driving means comprising a relatively powerful,rotary, electric solenoid 33. Solenoid 33 is mounted on a supportingplate 34 secured to the underportion of base member 11, and iscontrolled by a micro switch 36 mounted on a bracket 37 fixed tosupporting plate 34 and actuated by a switching lever 38. Micro switch36 and bracket 37 are positioned on support- 13 of greater inside ingplate 34 in such a manner that switching lever 38 protrudes through anaperture in the under surface of trough portion 13, and projects intothe accessible area defined by overhanging lip 16, as is best seen inFig. 2.

Thus, upon a container, such as that shown at 39, being pushed forwardlyin trough 13 to a position that its forward edge engages the switchinglever 38, micro switch 36 is closed, actuating solenoid 33-. Solenoid 33is of the well known rotatable armature type having a relatively highstarting torque, and contains a biasing spring 40, best shown in Fig. 2,which maintains the gear member 32 in the retracted position shown inFig.3. Upon micro switch 36 being closed in the above described manner,gear member 32 is rotated counterclockwise from its position shown inFig. 3, and in turn rotates spur gear 31. Because forked member 22, isdirectly keyed to spur gear 31, this rotation is imparted to legportions 23 and 24 which roll the sheets of paper 28 inserted betweenthe leg portions, in the manner shown by the sequence of viewsillustrated in Figs. 5, 6, 7 and 8. Upon completion of this operation,the sheets of paper are formed into compact tubular rolls as shown inFig. 8.

Subsequent to the rolling operation, a movable ejecting means is movedalong the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical guide defined by shield18 and trough portion 14, and serves to eject or ush the rolled sheetsof paper into the container 39. T e ejecting means includes an annularring 41, best shown in Fig. 9, having an outside diameter equal to theinside diameter of the cylindrical guide, and an inside diameter equalto the largest transverse dimension of forked member 22. Ring 41 may beintegral with a mounting foot portion 42 which is adapted to ride in aslot 43, best shown in Fig. 4, formed in the bottom of trough portion14. Mounting foot portion 42 is connected by a pin 44, best seen in Fig.10, to a crank arm 46 by means of an elongated aperture 47 in the endthereof. The remaining end of crank arm 46 is keyed to the drive shaftof a second rotary driving means comprising a rotary, electric solenoid48, which is mounted on a platform 49, best seen in Fig. 2, secured tothe underportion of base member 11 by means of studs 51. Solenoid 48 isof the well known rotatable armature type having a high starting torque,and contains a biasing spring 52 which normally maintains crank arm 46in the retracted position shown'in solid lines.

For controlling the solenoid 48, a second, electric micro switch 53 isprovided (Fig. 2) which is mounted on Sup-. porting plate 34 adjacentto, and immeidately above the shaft of solenoid 33. Solenoid 33 has ashaft extension 54, shown in Fig. 4, protruding through supporting plate34. Secured to shaft extension 54 is a timing cam 56. having a camfollower arrangement comprising a cantilever assembly having a lever arm57 cooperating therewith. Lever arm 57 has a portion engaging aswitching lever 58 controlling the operation of micro switch 53, and,upon timing cam 56 being rotated, lever arm 57 moves switching lever 58to close micro switch 53. The closing of micro switch 53 results in theactuation of solenoid 48 which then drives crank arm 46 from therearrnost position shown in solid lines in Fig. 10, to the forwardposition shown in dotted lines.

As shown in Fig. 4, upon the annular ring 41 reaching its forwardmostposition, shown in dotted lines, the uppermost vertical face 61 ofsliding foot mounting 42 contacts the leading edge of the container 39when the container is in its forwardmost position, also shown in dottedlines. This action results in knocking the con, tainer 39 away fromswitch actuating lever 38 and allows the entire mechanism to bedeenergized. Upon being deenergized, biasing springs 40 and 52 ofsolenoids 33 and 48, respectively, rotate gear member 32, and crank arm46 back to their idle position.

When operating the machine, the operator places the sheets of paper 28to be packaged on the surface of base member 11, and slides themrearwardly towards back plate 17 through slots 19 and 21, and the openarea between the leg portions 23 and 24 of forked member 22. Theoperator then places the cylindrical container 39 in trough portion 13,and pushes the container rearwardly under overhanging lip 16, and intoengagement with switch lever 38. This action results in closing themicro switch 36 and energizes solenoid 33. Solenoid 33 then rotates thegear member 32 counterclockwise from the position shown in Fig. 3,driving spur gear 31, and forked member 22, to roll sheets of paper-28into tubular form in the manner shown in Figs. 6 to 9. Simultaneously,with the rotation of gear member 32, the solenoid 33 rotates timing cam56 a predetermined distance. Timing cam 56 is shaped so that at the endof the rotation of the gear member 32, micro switch 53 is closed.Closing of micro switch 53 energizes solenoid 46, thereby causingsolenoid 48, to rotate crank arm 46 from its rearmost position, shown inFig. 10, to the forward position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 10. Thisaction results in driving annular ring 41 forwardly, and thrusting, orejecting the rolled sheets of paper off the leg portions 23 and 24 offorked member 22 into container 39. Upon annular ring 41 reaching theforward end of its travel, upper vertical surface 61 comes intoengagement with the lower edge of container 39, and imparts sufficientmotion to container 39 to drive the container oil" of switching lever38. Release of switching lever 24 deenergizes each of solenoids 33 and48, and allows the biasing springs 40 and 52. to rotate. gear mem ber 32and crank arm 46, respectively, back to. their idle positions.

From the foregoing description, it is readily apparent that theinvention provides an automatically operated mechanism for formingsheets of paper into compact, tubular rolls and for then ejecting therolls of paper into containers, immediately after rolling the same. Themechanism starts operating automatically when the container is placed inposition. The mechanism is of simple and inexpensive construction andoperates very rapidly to package sheets of paper. When used forpackaging paper money the machine operates to place the money in thecontainers instantly after the money has been placed on the table andthe container positioned in the groove therefor. It is obvious that bothth Sheets to be packaged and the containers may be fed to the machine byhand or by automatic means to further speed up the packaging operation.The rapid operation of the machine results in a great saving of time andtherefore greatly reduces the cost of such packaging operations,

Obviously, other modifications and variations of the invention arepossible in the light of the above teachings. It is therefore to beunderstood that such modifications and variations are within the scopeof'the invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A device for rolling thin sheets of flexible material including incombination, a base having a substantially horizontal surface, said baseincluding generally cylindrical guide portions spaced to providediametrically opposed longitudinal slots just above said horizontalsurface, an elongated forked member longitudinally positioned withinsaid cylindrical guide portions with the open area defined by the legportions thereof normally in alignment with said slots, and rotarydriving means coupled to said forked member for rotating the same,whereby a thin sheet of flexible material positioned on said horizontalsurface and extending in said slots and between said leg portions ofsaid forked member is rolled into tubular form.

2. A paper rolling device including a base member having a substantiallyfiat horizontal surface with a semi: cylindrical trough formed therein,semi-cylindrical shield means positioned over said trough and forming agenerally cylindrical guide having a pair of diametrically opposedlongitudinal slots substantially level with said horizontal surface ofsaid base member, an elongated forked member having spaced leg portionslongitudinally posi tioned in said guide with the open area between theleg portions thereof normally in alignment with said slots, and drivingmeans having a rotatable shaft, said forked member being secured to anddriven by said rotatable drive shaft of said driving means.

3. The combination set forth in elairn 2 wherein said driving meansincludes an electric solenoid having a rotatable armature and anelectric switch mounted on said base member for actuating said solenoid,said base member having a portion for supporting a container forreceiving the rolled paper, said switch having an actuating portit n psi ione at s id s pp r ing p r on and actuated by a container placedthereon in a paper receiving position.

4. A paper packaging mechanism including in coma bination, a base memberhaving a substantially fiat horizontal surface with a semi-cylindricaltrough formed therein, a semi-cylindrical shield positioned. over Saidtrough and together with said trough forming a generally cylindricalguide having a pair of diametrically opposed longitudinal slots justabove the level of the surface of said base member, an elongated forkedmember longitudinally positioned in said guide with the open areabetween the leg portions thereof normally in alignment with said slots,rotary driving means having a rotatable drive shaft connected to saidforked member for rotating the same, ejecting means movable along theaxis of rotation of said forked member, and control means for causingthe sequential operation of said rotary driving means and said ejectingmeans.

5. The combination set forth in claim 4 wherein said rotary drivingmeans comprises an electric solenoid having a rotatable armature, andsaid base member includes a container supporting portion, and furtherincluding an electric switch means mounted on said base member at saidcontainer supporting portion for actuating said solenoid, said switchmeans being operable by a container for receiving the rolled paper whenthe said container is placed on said container supporting portion onsaid base member.

6. A paper packaging mechanism including a generally cylindrical guidehaving diametrically opposed longitudinal slots formed therein, anelongated forked member longitudinally positioned in said cylindricalguide with the open area between the leg portions thereof normally inalignment with said slots, rotary driving -means having a rotatabledrive shaft connected to said forked member for rotating the same,ejecting means comprising an annular ring having an outer diametersubstantially equal to the inside diameter of said cylin drical guideand an inside diameter substantially equal to the outer transversedimensions of said forked mem her, said ring being positioned in saidguide and movable along the longitudinal axis thereof, a crank armconnected to said ring, and second driving means connected to said crankarm for moving said annular ring along the longitudinal axis of saidcylindrical guide, said first and second driving means beingsequentially operable.

7. A paper packaging mechanism including a base member having asemi-cylindrical trough formed therein, a semi-cylindrical shieldpositioned over said trough and forming a generally cylindrical guidehaving a. pair of diametrically opposed longitudinal slots substantiallylevel with the surface of said base member, an elongated forked memberlongitudinally positioned in said guide with the open areabetween thelegs thereof normally aligned with the surface of said base member,rotary driving means comprising an electric solenoid having a rotatablearmature connected to said forked member, ejecting means comprising anannular ring positioned in said cylindrical guide and movable relativethereto, a crank arm connected to said annular ring for moving the samealong the longitudinal axis of said guide, second electric solenoidmeans connected to and driving said crank arm, and electric switch meansmounted on said base member for sequentially actuating said solenoids,said switch means being actuated by a container for receiving the rolledpaper when the said container is placed in a paper receiving position onsaid base member.

8. A paper packaging mechanism including a base member having asemi-cylindrical trough formed therein, a semi-cylindrical shieldpositioned over said trough and forming a generally cylindrical guidehaving a pair of diametrically opposed longitudinal notchessubstantially level with the surface of said base member, an elongatedforked member longitudinally positioned in said guide with the open areabetween the legs thereof normally aligned with the surface of said basemember, rotary driving means comprising a spur gear connected to saidforked member for rotating the same, a gear member driving said spurgear, a first rotary electric solenoid having the rotatable armaturethereof connected to said gear member for driving the same, ejectingmeans comprising an annular ring positioned in said cylindrical guideabout said forked member and longitudinally movable therein, a crank armconnected to said annular ring, a second rotary electric solenoid havingthe rotatable armature thereof connected to said crank arm for movingsaid ring along the axis of rotation of said forked member, an electricswitch controlling said second electric solenoid and having a switchinglever, a timing cam connected to the drive shaft of said first electricsolenoid for operating the switching lever of said with the open area '6electric switch, and a control electric switch mounted on said basemember for actuating said first electric solenoid, saidcontrol switchbeing operable by a container for receiving the rolled paper when saidcontainer is placed in a paper receiving position on said base member.

9. A paper packaging mechanism for placing rolled paper in a containerincluding in combination, a supporting portion for receiving acylindrical container, a generally cylindrical guide aligned with acontainer on said supporting portion and having diametrically opposedlongitudinal slots formed therein, an elongated forked memberlongitudinally positioned in said cylindrical guide with the open areabetween the leg portions thereof normally in alignment with said slotsto receive a sheet of paper therein, driving means connected to saidforked member for rotating the same for rolling the sheet of paper,ejecting means comprising an annular ring positioned in said guide aboutsaid forked member, means for moving said annular ring along thelongitudinal axis of said cylindrical guide for ejecting the rolledpaper from said guide into a container positioned on said supportingportion, and control means for causing operation of said driving meansand said moving means in sequence, said control means including switchmeans having an actuating portion at said supporting portion foroperating said control means in response to the positioning of thecontainer in a paper receiving position thereon, said ejecting meansincluding a portion movable with said annular ring and engaging thecontainer for moving the same from said supporting portion.

10. A mechanism for rolling flat sheets of flexible material including abase member having a substantially flat surface with a semi-cylindricaltrough formed therein, a semi-cylindrical shield positioned over saidtrough and forming a generally cylindrical guide having a pair ofdiametrically opposed longitudinal notches substantially level with saidsurface of said base member, an elongated forked member longitudinallypositioned in said guide between the legs thereof normally aligned withthe surface of said base member, rotary driving means comprising a spurgear connected to said forked member for rotating the same, a gearmember driving said spur gear, a first rotary electric solenoid havingthe rotatable armature thereof connected to said gear member for drivingthe same, ejecting means comprising an annular ring positioned in saidcylindrical guide about said forked member and longitudinally movabletherein, a crank arm connected to said annular ring, a second rotaryelectric solenoid having the rotatable armature thereof connected tosaid crank arm for moving said ring along the axis of rotation of saidforked member, an electric switch controlling said second electricsolenoid and having a switching lever, a timing cam connected to thedrive shaft of said first electric solenoid for operating the switchinglever of said electric switch, and a control electric switch mounted onsaid base member for actuating said first electric solenoid.

11. A device for rolling flat sheets of flexible material including incombination, a base member, an elongated forked member mounted forrotation on said base member, guide means spaced about said forkedmember, driving means for rotating said forked member, ejecting meansincluding a portion positioned about said forked member and within saidguide means, and means for moving said ejecting portion in a directionparallel to the axis of rotation of said forked member, said drivingmeans being operable to rotate said forked member for rolling a sheet offlexible material thereon, said portion of said ejecting means having asurface adapted to engage the rolled material at a plurality of pointsspaced around iaid forked member for sliding the rolled materialthererom.

12. A device for rolling flexible sheet material including incombination, a base structure having a sheet supporting surface, anelongated forked member mounted for rotation on said base structure andhaving spaced leg portions, drive means for rotating said forked memberand for returning the same to a normal position wherein said legportions are positioned so that the space therebetween is aligned withsaid supporting surface, said base structure including portions forminga tubular guide about said forked member, ejecting means including anannular portion positioned about said forked member and within saidguide, supporting means for said annular portion to permit movementthereof along a straight line parallel to the axis of rotation of saidforked member, and means coupled to said drive means for operating saidejecting eans while said forked member is rotating.

1 13. A device for rolling fiat sheets of flexible material and placingthe same in a container including in combination, a base member, anelongated forked member mounted at one end for rotation on said basemember, guide means spaced about said forked member, ejecting meansincluding a portion positioned about said forked member and within saidguide means, means for moving said ejecting portion in a straight linealong said forked member, means for receiving a container adjacent theend of said elongated forked member opposite said one end thereof, anddriving means for rotating said forked member and for operating saidejecting means, said portion of said ejecting means having a surfaceadapted to engage the end of said roll of material adjacent said one endof said forked member at a plurality of points spaced around said forkedmember for sliding the roll of material from said opposite end of saidforked member into the container. v

14. A device for rolling fiat sheets of flexible material including abase member, an elongated forked member having a longitudinal axis andincluding leg portions spaced from said axis, said forked member beingmounted on said base member for rotation about said longitudinal axis,said base member having substantially flat portions extending on eitherside of said forked member and substantially aligned with said axisthereof for supporting flat sheets fed into the device at both endsthereof, guide means positioned about said forked member, and means forrotating said forked member including electric driving means having arotatable armature operatively connected to said elongated forked memberfor rotating the same, said driving means being constructed so that saidarmature rotates a fixed amount at each operation thereof and includingmeans for returning said armature to a predetermined initial position atthe end of each operation thereof, said armature being connected to saidforked member so that said armature in its initial position holds saidforked member in a position such that the space between said legportions thereof is aligned with said flat portions of said base memberto receive the flat sheets therein, said forked member rolling the flatsheets into tubular form as said armature rotates.

15. A device for rolling flat sheets of flexible material including incombination, an elongated mandrel having a pair of spaced legs formingan open ended and open sided slot, means for mounting said mandrel forrotation about the longitudinal axis thereof, a sheet supportingstructure including substantially flat surface portions positioned oneither side of said mandrel, said mandrel having a normal position inwhich said slot is ali ned at opposite sides with said surface portions,guide means surrounding said mandrel in spaced relation theretoproviding a cylindrical guide path around said mandrel and havingdiametrically opposite open portions normally in alignment with saidmandrel slot and said surface portions, whereby a fiat sheet can be fedon said surface portions into said slot in said mandrel and in said openportions of said guide means, means associated with said mandrel forejecting rolled sheet material therefrom, and drive means for rotatingsaid mandrel and for actuating said ejecting means, said drive meansincluding means operating sequentially to cause rotation of said mandrelfor rolling a flat sheet thereon and to cause ejection of a sheet rolled'on said mandrel.

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